<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000874716-03-000081
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20030908
<FILING-DATE>20030910
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WALLEN WILLIAM C
<CIK>0001263078
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-19271
<FILM-NUMBER>03889290
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O IDEXX LABORATORIES INC
<STREET2>ONE IDEXX DRIVE
<CITY>WESTBROOK
<STATE>ME
<ZIP>04092
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>IDEXX LABORATORIES INC /DE
<CIK>0000874716
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2835
<IRS-NUMBER>010393723
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE IDEXX DRIVE
<CITY>WESTBROOK
<STATE>ME
<ZIP>04092-2041
<PHONE>2078560300
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>ONE IDEXX DRIVE
<CITY>WESTBROOK
<STATE>ME
<ZIP>04092-2041
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>IDEXX CORP / DE
<DATE-CHANGED>19600201
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-09-08</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000874716</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>IDEXX LABORATORIES INC /DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IDXX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001263078</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WALLEN WILLIAM C</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O IDEXX LABORATORIES INC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>ONE IDEXX DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WESTBROOK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>ME</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>04092</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP &amp; Chief Scientific Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Incentive Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>42.6</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-09-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11735</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>42.6</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-09-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-09-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>11735</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11735</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Non-Qualified Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>42.6</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2003-09-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>98265</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>42.6</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2004-09-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-09-08</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>98265</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>98265</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>

    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Grant of options to buy shares of Common Stock become exercisable in five equal annual increments, beginning on the first anniversay date (9/08/2004) of the date of grant.</footnote>
    </footnotes>


    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Conan R. Deady, Attorney-in-Fact for William C. Wallen</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-09-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
